The body of evidence about nuts and health continues to grow. These local and international research papers, recently published, corroborate decades of research about the importance of a regular handful of nuts in a healthy diet.

The association between nut consumption and risk of depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis of observational studies. (Kim et al, 2025).
This meta-analysis, of seven observational studies, involving 70,136 participants, found that higher nut consumption was linked with a lower risk of depressive symptoms. This association was significant when nut intake reached at least three serves per week. Compared with <1 time/week, nut consumption at ≥3 times/week was associated with a 25% lower risk of depressive symptoms (SRRs = 0.75, 95% CIs, 0.67–0.85; p < 0.001). The inverse relationship was not significant for 1 to <3 times/week of nut consumption, suggesting a possible threshold effect. The protective benefits could be attributed to the diverse bioactive nutrients found in nuts, including omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and vitamin E.

Role of nut and seed intake on telomere length as a biomarker of ageing: A systematic review of observational and interventional studies. (Hettiarachchi et al, 2025).
This review assessed the relationship between nut and seed intake and telomere length in humans. It included nine observational studies and four intervention trials. Out of the nine observational studies included, three reported positive associations between nut and seed intake and telomere length. None of the intervention studies reported a significant positive effect. Due to wide variation in how telomere length was measured across the studies, a meta-analysis was not possible. Overall, the evidence to date is insufficient to establish a beneficial role of nut and seed intake on telomere length. This highlights the need for more well-designed, long-term intervention studies in this area.

Daily almond supplementation improves blood pressure and lipid profile in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia: A randomized controlled trial. (Arslan et al, 2025).
This randomised controlled trial involved 103 pregnant women (≥20 weeks gestation) with hypertension and/or dyslipidemia. Participants were assigned to either a control group (no-intervention), or to consume either 10g/day (A10) or 25g/day (A25) of almonds for 12 weeks. Both almond groups had significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, compared to control. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and LDL-cholesterol levels improved dose-dependently, with the A25 group showing the greatest reductions (TC −22.5%, TG −33.8%, and LDL −27.3%) (p<0.001). HDL-cholesterol and heart rate did not differ across groups. These findings suggest almonds may be a useful strategy to help manage cardiometabolic risk in pregnancy.

Replacing solid snacks with almonds or adding almonds to the diet improves diet quality and compliance with the 2020-25 dietary guidelines for Americans: Modelling analyses of NHANES 2017-23 data. (Maillot et al, 2025).
In this study, NHANES 2017–23 dietary data for 4,333 children and 10,925 adults were analysed using nutrient data from food and nutrient databases. Three models were tested: replacing all solid snacks with almonds (Model 1), replacing only less healthy snacks (Model 2), and adding almonds to the existing diet (Model 3). Replacing or adding small amounts of almonds to the diet improves overall diet quality, reducing added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat while increasing protein, fibre, healthy fats, and key nutrients. Benefits are greatest for children and young adults, suggesting that incorporating nutrient-dense snacks like almonds can enhance healthy eating patterns.

Dietary benefits of pistachio consumption in Mexico modelled using national health survey system (ENSANUT) 2012 and 2016 data. (Velazquez et al, 2025).
This study modelled the dietary impact of replacing energy-dense snacks with pistachios under three scenarios: equicaloric substitution with pistachios, substitution with mixed nuts and seeds, and adding small amounts of pistachios (10-28 g) to the existing diet. Analyses used data from the 2012 (n = 7,132) and 2016 (n = 14,764) Mexico National Health and Nutrition Surveys. Across all models, pistachio- and nut-inclusive diets were lower in added sugars and sodium, and higher in protein, fibre, unsaturated fats, potassium, and magnesium. Both replacing snacks with pistachios and adding modest amounts improved overall diet quality, highlighting pistachios as a healthy snack and valuable component of nutritious eating patterns.

Pecans and human health: Distinctive benefits of an American nut. (Sandhu et al, 2025).
This review examines differences in phenolic compounds across pecan species, along with the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of their bioactive components and potential health effects. Evidence from human trials shows that replacing foods/snacks with pecans improves overall diet quality and lipid profiles, while effects on vascular function, glycaemia, and inflammation are mixed. Pecan intake appears weight-neutral and may support satiety and appetite regulation. Research on cognition and gut health is still emerging, highlighting the need for further investigation. Overall, current evidence supports the cardiometabolic benefits of pecans within healthy dietary patterns.

The effect of roasting on the health-promoting components of nuts determined on the basis of fatty acids, polyphenol compounds, and antioxidant capacity. (Kulik et al, 2025).
This study investigated the changes in health-promoting fatty acids, antioxidant activity, and total polyphenolic compounds in three nut types – hazelnuts, walnuts, and peanuts, before and after roasting (convectional roasting, microwave roasting, and microwave roasting with a protective coating). The highest losses of fatty acids were observed after convective roasting, and the lowest after microwave roasting with a protective coating. All roasting methods increased antioxidant potential. Overall, microwave roasting offers a promising approach to protecting health-promoting compounds, especially since the processing time is significantly shortened.

MicroRNAs, nut consumption, cardiovascular risk factors, and coronary artery disease: A narrative review. (Stein et al, 2025).
This review highlights key microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in blood pressure regulation, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis, and examines how nut consumption may affect their expression. Nut-rich dietary patterns, particularly the Mediterranean diet, appear to influence miRNAs linked to lipid homeostasis, endothelial function, and inflammation. Clinical trials in primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention show that diets high in nuts, as well as supplementation with Brazil nuts, pistachios, almonds, and walnuts, can modulate miRNAs related to lipid metabolism, inflammation, and insulin resistance. However, no studies have explored these effects in secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. While the findings are promising, further research is needed to clarify the role of nuts in miRNA modulation.

The impact of substituting animal with plant protein foods in adults’ self-selected diets on environmental, nutritional, and health outcomes: A systematic review of modelling studies. (Auclair et al, 2025).
This review, of 18 secondary analyses of dietary data from national nutrition surveys, assessed potential synergies and trade-offs among environmental, nutritional, and health outcomes of substituting animal with plant protein foods. Overall, it found simple substitutions of animal with plant protein foods promoted healthier and more sustainable diets at the population level. Among the findings, replacing red and processed meat with plant protein foods led to the greatest share of reductions in environmental impacts, while also modestly improving nutrient intakes (including calcium, iron, fibre, potassium, and saturated fat) and reducing mortality. Notably, substituting red and processed meat with a combination of nuts, seeds, and legumes prevented 14 times more ‘years of lost life’ than substitutions with legumes alone.

Harmonised assessment of environmental impacts from diets and dietary scenarios: Sustainability and protein intake in eleven European countries. (Vellinga et al, 2025).
This study, using data from 11 European countries, assessed the population-level environmental impact of the diets in each country, and of the potential impact of policy-level dietary changes aimed at improving both human and planetary health. It showed that policy strategies promoting reduced animal food consumption, increased plant-based intake, and limiting unhealthy food options have substantial potential to simultaneously improve human and planetary health. The researchers suggest the most significant environmental benefits could be achieved by reducing meat consumption and substituting it with plant-based alternatives. Alongside strategies to reduce meat consumption, increasing the intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and unsalted nuts was recommended.

Cardiometabolic benefits of replacing saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fatty acids. (Riserus et al, 2025).
This review assesses data from prospective cohort studies that have used substitution analyses to evaluate cardiometabolic and total mortality risk when replacing intakes of saturated fatty acids (SFA) with either monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Results suggest that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats – especially PUFA from vegetable oils, nuts and fatty fish – is linked to lower all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and other cardiometabolic risks, supporting the use of more plant-based eating patterns for public health.